


Hold Nothing Back

by 12AngryHighlanders



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant Through Volume 4, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Lesbian Sex, Reunions, Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-10
Updated: 2017-10-10
Packaged: 2019-01-15 14:35:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12322941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/12AngryHighlanders/pseuds/12AngryHighlanders
Summary: Yang discovers where Blake went, and some answers are long overdue.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> With Volume 5 right around the corner, I'm worried that we won't get the reunion I really want to see. So, in the process of working through some emotions, this happened. It's my first fic, so my apologies if there are any formatting faux pas!

Goodbyes were hard for Yang. Reunions weren’t supposed to be.

But it just wasn’t the same. She’d been thrilled to see Weiss, of course she had, but she felt more alone now than when it had just been her and Ruby. Her little sister had her partner back. And maybe more than that – Ruby hadn’t said anything, but less than a week after Weiss met them, Yang started to see Ruby’s fingers graze the former heiress’ when they didn’t know she was looking, standing closer than the Ice Queen would ever have allowed in her realm before. And, frankly, Ruby was abysmal at hiding her emotions.

Weiss knew she knew, of course. When Ruby brushed against Weiss, the latter’s eyes always sought out Yang. Not out of fear of discovery – the look she received was apologetic, almost pitying.

Yang would’ve been offended if she hadn’t felt so pitiable.

She tried not to dwell on what she’d been through. What she’d lost. It rarely worked, and Weiss’ return just drove it home. Ruby was now otherwise occupied, and like a puzzle that was almost finished, the missing piece was more noticeably absent. All the same, Yang wouldn’t have traded her presence for anything.

Well. Almost anything.

They’d tried to talk to her about it once. The Fall, and what came after. They knew all the facts, Ruby and Weiss were just concerned that she wasn’t dealing with it completely. Yang’s mood hadn’t been stable since she left Patch. Some moments she felt the weight of it all come crashing down, others she seemed optimistic and even something perilously close to happy. Yet with their teammate’s arrival, she’d been an almost constantly dour presence, and her sister and her friend tried to intervene. Weiss had been kind, even gentle. “You lost more than anyone else, Yang. And you deserved it the least,” she’d ended.

Yang had just looked at her blankly. She knew Weiss was talking about the team, trying to help, and being surprisingly competent at positive reinforcement. But she couldn’t quite stop her response.

“Pyrrha.”

And the conversation was over. Her mood was grim and unchanging, the passion that had once been the blonde’s hallmark nowhere to be found. Until that morning. A letter, an actual letter, reached her, and as she read it, the color drained from her face, only to come flooding back, the familiar heat building within her. _No_ , she thought. _Not now. Not when you have to move fast, to stay focused._ When Ruby and Weiss had returned from their breakfast, they’d found Yang fully packed, and most of their things stowed for travel, too. Ruby was the first to speak.

“Um…we going somewhere? I mean, I want to get moving, too, but Qrow said to wait for him, and we’ll need more information if we’re going to Haven –”

"We’re not. We have a stop to make first." A hint of red blazed in Yang’s violet eyes. "Sun got a message to me. We're going to Menagerie. There's a conversation that I'm not waiting to have any more."

\--------------------------

Ruby and Weiss had given up on hiding their relationship. Or rather, they’d been forced to on the way to Menagerie. Yang knew they were trying to be sensitive, but now that she had a destination, a _purpose_ again, some of her old fire had returned, and their pity became less palatable. She hadn’t felt this…well, not good, but _motivated_ since leaving Patch. That hadn’t lasted. But then, Yang had known that time that she wasn’t going where she needed to be.

It wasn’t that she hadn’t wanted to see her sister. She had, desperately, but it was Ruby. There was a bedrock of unshakeable faith deep with Yang’s being that the two of them would always find their way back to each other.

She didn’t feel that way about everyone. Not anymore.

But Yang was happy for Ruby. Weiss was the most – _or second most_ , she thought bitterly – broken person she knew. But Ruby didn’t see that, and for someone like Weiss, that unconditional love would do more than all the therapy in Remnant. And the older girl would bring a calm and structure to Ruby’s life that she needed, now more than ever. The match was as good as it would have been unanticipated, had Ruby not come to Yang months ago for romantic advice, babbling about how her “friend” thought they might be interested in another girl, and one who seemed aloof, and they already shared a room…truly a master of deception, her sister.

But as their trip drew to a close, walking up the beaten pathway to the Belladonna residence, Yang would’ve been lying if she’d said she was as optimistic about her own partner as her sister’s. The truth was, Blake had left. Deliberately. And more than a few nights Yang had lay awake, wondering if this journey, her need for closure, was selfish. _It is_ , she’d settled on. _But if she can be selfish and leave, I can be selfish and follow._

Sensing her anxiety, her teammates stopped in front of the large staircase leading to the entryway.

“Yang? Are…you gonna be okay?”

Yang’s shoulders fell as she let out a long breath. “Yeah, Rubes. At least I’ll be better than if we stay out here.” She tried to smile, but the grin she mustered couldn’t have looked more fake if Weiss had made the attempt. Weiss did, in fact, narrow her eyes and open her mouth to respond, but then seemed to reevaluate. She settled for shaking her head.

“Ruby and I will wait out here. Maybe look around for a hotel or something.” Her blue eyes met Yang’s lilacs, and the blonde nodded gratefully as she took in the implication. _We don’t have to stay here. No matter what, we’ll still be here for you._ A lump rose in Yang’s throat, and she pulled the two into a tight embrace.

“I’ll see you soon.” She got the whisper out, and then turned on her heel, striding up to the door before she could think too much. And she knocked.

When the door opened, another blonde was looking back at her. He smiled wide, though it didn’t reach his eyes, and even with everything, Yang couldn’t help but smile back as she hugged him. “Sun! Dust, it’s good to see you!” As she pulled back to arm’s length, her face grew serious. “Thank you. Just…thank you.”

“Don’t sweat it! I…may not have mentioned you were coming until a couple days ago. She hasn’t really left her room much since then. She’s in there now. You and me can catch up later.” She nodded gratefully, and started to move past him to the door he’d indicated, and stopped. She couldn’t go into this conversation with something else on her mind. And she owed him, after all. She needed to know, and she needed him to know she understood what this had taken.

“Sun?” He paused, turning back to her. “Why did you tell me she was here?”

A long silence. Neither of them needed to clarify what she meant. When it came, his words were filled with steel.

"I didn’t want to. I hated you. Or I wanted to hate you. And you hated me, or wanted to hate me. But I’ve been here with her for a while now. If things were going to happen…well, they didn’t, and it wasn’t because there wasn’t an opportunity, or because she doesn’t know. It was because it was me. Or, really…not you. I don’t think she gets that yet. But I do. She’s important to me. To both of us. And I know you would've supported her if she'd...if it were me, instead.” His tail dropped and his hands balled into fists, but he let out a long, slow breath, and something like acceptance came over him. “I can't let myself be less than that." A moment's rest, and he slouched towards the door, hands in his pockets, every bit the carefree guy he'd always been, save for the eyes that managed to seem cold and resigned simultaneously. At the door, though, he paused. His voice was quiet, but firm. Not judgmental, merely observing. "She's not a good person, Yang. Not yet. But she wants to be. And she can be.” And then, deeply pained: “With you." And he passed through the doorway into the balmy night air.

She didn’t bother to knock this time. Blake’s hearing meant she already knew Yang was there. But the dark-haired faunus was looking away, over her bed and out the window. She didn’t move as Yang stood next to her. Or rather, almost didn’t. _She’s trembling_ , Yang thought with some surprise. Blake was usually so good at keeping her emotions hidden. As if snapping out of a reverie, Blake suddenly moved, turning to the door, and for a moment…but no, she was just closing it, and suddenly Yang found herself speaking.

\--------------------------

Blake stood frozen as the door opened behind her. She couldn’t move. Dust, she couldn’t _breathe_. She hadn’t expected this to happen so soon. Maybe never, if she couldn’t stop Adam. And then just two days ago Sun calmly informed her that her partner would be there soon. She’d yelled. A lot. But he was unnervingly silent, eerily determined. She’d barely spoken to him or anyone else since then. He’d spoken to her parents, and they’d agreed to give Blake some privacy. Ghira and Kali were using the opportunity to rent a hotel room and relax – her mother’s idea, of course.

Shit. When had she gotten so _close_? Blake’s shoulder nearly touched the blonde’s, Yang’s faint smell of embers and flowers now mixed with – metal and grease?

And then Blake glanced down, and saw the black and yellow arm. And panicked.

She spun around, marching to the door, unsure what she was going to do, but her feet were lead, and she had done this, that machine existed because of her, and she slowed almost instantly. She closed the door, against all her instincts, but she had to. She could make Yang leave later. She wouldn’t be safe with her, but danger wasn’t going to come right now. And there was so much she owed her partner that she could never repay. For once, she couldn’t run. And then her back went rigid as she heard a voice she hadn’t heard in months, shaky but strong.

"I thought so hard about what I would say to you.” Blake turned, for the first time truly looking at her partner. Yang was still looking out the window Blake had been gazing at, the reversal of their positions not lost on the cat faunus. Her new outfit was unadorned, simple, practical. The fingers protruding from one glove were the gold and black she’d spied before. Above her left knee – a purple bandana? Not usually Yang’s color, more of her own. Wherever that thought was headed, the next words cut it off. “How I'd tell you I understood, that there was nothing to forgive. That sort of shit. But you know what, Blake? I can't make myself believe it. I can't do that. I just fucking can't."

Yang whipped around, her lips twisted in a snarl, crimson irises clouded by tears. Blake nearly took a step back as suddenly the blonde’s voice was loud, untamed, more emotion than she could hold within her flowing out in a ceaseless torrent. "How could you? I needed you. I needed you, Blake, and you...you just left!" There was the slightest pause, and Blake opened her mouth, needing her to understand, a hoarse voice leaving her throat.

“Yang, I…I _had_ to, Adam –”

"No!” The cutoff was instantaneous, Yang’s hand slamming on Blake’s bedside table, the noise confirming that it was an absolute miracle that it didn’t splinter immediately. “No, you don't get to do that! To make excuses, or justify yourself, or tell me how you did it to protect me or how much it hurt you! You don't even get to say you're sorry, you don't get to say you were wrong! Because you know what? If you really thought you'd made a mistake, if you really understood, then I wouldn't be here! You'd have found your way back to us, you'd have at least tried! But your own shit was too important for that, because we're all the side characters in your own novel, where you make unnecessary sacrifices to feel like you matter! Well, Blake, you know something? You're not that important! You stupid, selfish martyr! Fuck!" The blonde spat out the last word, opening her mouth to continue. But she choked, all the rage and pain sticking in her throat...and then she was sobbing, falling back and sitting on Blake's bed, head buried in her hands. Blake stared at her, eyes wide, filled with unshed tears. She hadn't let them fall; she'd deserved every biting word, all the anger and frustration. She'd had no illusions of what her leaving might do to her closest friend. What she'd had, apparently, was an incomplete understanding.

She'd only seen Yang cry once before: after her fight with Mercury, when Blake had hesitated to give her support she needed. The support she deserved. When she'd compared the girl who'd given everything, who'd risked her life to save her and paid for it with her arm, and her pride, and her best friend, to the monster who'd ripped them away from her.

_You're not that important._

Her first thought was anger; how dare she accuse her of treating her, Ruby, Weiss, her friends, like they meant nothing to her? But the second thought, almost as fast, was that Yang was right. And that this wasn't the first time she'd acted that way. Her mind flashed back - in the classroom, exhausted, Yang shoving her, sharing her deepest shame, just so Blake would take care of herself.

_You're not that important._

Yang going alone to a dance, the almost too-cheerful smile as she helped Blake pick out a dress to wear for Sun. Yang on the floor of the cave in Mountain Glen, telling Blake she wouldn’t run from a fight with such conviction even when Blake didn’t believe her. Yang leaving her own sister just to find Blake, seeing her amidst the ruins of Beacon, her semblance flaring brighter than she’d ever seen and unhesitatingly coming to save her, her own shining knight.

_You’re not that important._

And for the first time, she realized that she _was_ that important. Not to saving the world. Not to defeating the White Fang. Not even to stopping Adam. Even without her, her team could handle it. Jaune, Nora, and Ren could handle it. Sun and Neptune and Coco and Velvet and her parents could handle it. No, she was that important to this girl, this one girl, who'd put her life on the line in an instant to save her. The girl who was sobbing because she couldn't understand how Blake cared so little about her. The girl...

The girl whose heart she'd broken.

And as she began to realize how much bigger this was than she'd imagined, that girl spoke in a hushed, quavering whisper.

"Why don't I matter, too?"


	2. Chapter 2

Blake didn't know how to respond, how to express the rush of emotions at everything she was taking in. So she started simple.

"Yang..."

The blonde's head raised, tears still falling, but face stony with conviction. Blake faltered, but only for a moment. Words that weren’t on a page were still something of a mystery to her, but if she stopped talking…she didn’t know what would happen.

“I owe you my life. I mean, literally…I wouldn’t have walked away from that without you.”

Her partner snorted, the harsh noise contrasting with her quiet crying. “You got me out afterwards, and it’s not like I ended up being much use any –”

“Yang, shut up!” Okay, well, _that_ hadn’t been the plan, but in for a lien… “Just listen, okay? This wasn’t like another hunt, watching each other’s backs. You ran into a situation you knew could’ve killed you, because otherwise you knew I wouldn’t make it. The only way I knew how to repay you was by keeping you safe, by leaving, by dealing with the threat!” Yang was practically blazing now, the anger in her face absolutely terrifying, but Blake had to get the next part out, or none of this would matter. “I know that leaving was awful, I knew it would hurt you, but I did it because I was trying to make things right!” She took a trembling breath. She was so bad at expressing emotions, but she had to try, to at least say it now that she understood it. “But none of that should’ve mattered. Because you’re my best friend. And you deserved more than that. Because this wasn’t the first time you’ve come to save me. You’ve been doing it as long as we’ve been partners. Fuck, I didn’t even _have_ friends before you! You’ve put yourself after me so many times! You told me about going into the woods with Ruby just so you’d get me to go a _dance_ because I couldn’t understand that I needed it! I…I should’ve told you what I was doing. Why I was leaving. Why I had to be the one to protect you this time. I’m so sorry. But I swear, it’s only because you matter, even if I’m terrible at showing it…” She trailed off, the look on Yang’s face suddenly much more concerning. The fire had died down, but the cold, unfeeling ashes were so much worse. Yang’s voice was too clipped, too composed, as she spoke.

“What else do you remember about that story?”

Blake blinked. “I – what?”

“About me and Ruby. In the woods.”

“You put her in a cart, you weren’t prepared, you nearly died, your uncle came –”

“Yes, but _why_ , Blake?”

Blake couldn’t figure out what she was getting at. “You said it was because you were going to look for...your…mother…”

_Oh._

_Oh, dust._

Any tears Blake had hidden fell now, regardless of her will. She put a hand to her mouth as suddenly she grasped why nothing she’d said mattered, as the sheer enormity of it hit her. It wasn’t just what her departure. It wasn’t just her silence. It wasn’t even the way she now understood Yang felt about her. Blake’s voice was a whisper, barely audible, but unmistakable in its clarity.

“I left you. Just like she did.”

And Yang’s head fell once more into her hands, her shoulders wracked with sobs.

\--------------------------

Blake wasn’t sure when she’d moved. When her arms had wrapped around her partner’s shoulders and she’d buried Yang’s head in her neck. How long they stayed like that before Yang’s body began to still was likewise a mystery. Eventually, however, the blonde pulled away, about as reluctantly as could be imagined. She wiped her eyes, reaching for a fistful of tissues from Blake’s nightstand.

Blake had heard that some people could look beautiful as they cried. She didn’t believe it – if Yang Xiao Long couldn’t do it, then it wasn’t possible. And she was a wreck. Blake found it hard to believe she looked much better, although her tears had been quiet and horrified, rather than the loud, broken weeping of her best friend. Dust, but Yang didn’t deserve a friend who’d treated her like Blake had. She had no doubt that she’d forgive her, but Blake had done nothing to earn that forgiveness. Then, of course, there was the fact that “friend” seemed an oversimplification.

Blake had given a lot of thought to romance. With what she spent her time reading, it would’ve been blatantly nonsensical if it wasn’t on her mind. She’d known Sun was interested. She’d even been interested back. No, not interested. Intrigued. Looking back, the idea of the romantic rogue had probably appealed far more than the faunus himself. _Fuck, she was right. He was just an idea to me, a…a character concept. Were they all? Is that really how I treated them?_ A look at Yang, now looking blankly at the floor, answered her question. She forced herself past the swell of guilt. Yang had literally crossed the world to see her. The least Blake could do was make sure the conversation stayed about Yang. _Besides_ , she thought grimly, _the guilt isn’t going anywhere_. She could be wrong about how she thought Yang felt, she admitted to herself. Maybe she was looking for something that wasn’t there for…some reason. There were a lot to choose from. But if she’d learned one thing from her partner, it was that sometimes the best way out was through. Only one way to know for sure.

\--------------------------

Yang had heard that some people could look beautiful as they cried. She hadn’t believed it – but Blake Belladonna looked perfect, composed in her grief, tears shining against her pale skin, so there was no more question that it was possible. Yang knew she was a wreck; she’d been wracked with full-bodied, choking tears, while Blake managed to hold herself together even as she wept. She was so hurt, so angry…but, dust, it felt good to have her best friend there. Holding her. She’d actually initiated physical contact, even. Not exactly the way she’d imagine it, but she was too grateful to worry. As she finished blowing her nose, with the same vigor and volume with which she did everything, she couldn’t quite lift her eyes. She hadn’t broken down like that in a long time. Years, now. Not since Summer. She’d always had to be strong for Ruby, hadn’t let her guard down after the first night. But now Blake was here for her. And it was the other girl’s voice that raised her head.

“Yang,” she began, clearly hesitant. “Can I…can I ask you something.”

 _Of course_. But she just nodded.

“Why did you come all this way, for me?” That was a dumb question, and she was about to say so, but Blake did something she hated doing. She repeated herself. “Why, Yang?” Her voice softened. “Please?”

Oh, shit. She knew. How, how, she’d been so damn careful! _Well, I mean, you did literally cross the world to see her. So that’s about as subtle as Ruby when she wants a cookie. Or Weiss when she wants Ruby to stop complaining about not having cookies_. She also realized after a moment that she still hadn’t answered. Her heart was pounding, she was already overwhelmed, but it seemed like Blake finally learned how to be direct, probably from her. Yang Xiao Long was a lot of things, but never a hypocrite.

“I think you know already.” And her voice was steady, her gaze even. Whatever happened now, happened. _Hold nothing back_. She’d always lived by those words. That night at Beacon, she’d nearly died by them. It was all worth it. She wasn’t about to stop now.

The moment stretched on. Blake’s face was unreadable, even for her. Yang just waited, anticipating…something. Blake spoke quietly.

“How long?”

Yang shook her head. “Actually, it’s pronounced _Xiao_ Long. But you should really just call me Yang.”

If the last silence was long, this one was interminable. Blake gaped at her, openmouthed and disbelieving. Yang was so shocked at herself that she merely sat, frozen. She couldn’t believe it. She couldn’t believe she’d be so damn _herself_ at that exact damn moment. The two girls were stock-still, one sitting on a bed that wasn’t hers, the other kneeling before her.

And then the dam broke.

Blake was rolling, _crying_ with laughter, clutching her chest, and Yang had fallen backwards, eyes shut tight with mirth as she curled in on herself with every howl of joy. It must’ve been a full minute before Blake sat up, smiling, wiping her eyes.

“I. Cannot. Believe you.”

“I didn’t even mean to say it!”

“Of all the times!”

“I know!”

“Dust, I’ve missed you!” And that sobered them both up in a heartbeat. Yang’s gaze was riveted to Blake, who was processing her own words only well after they’d left he mouth.

The question was, Yang thought, a fairly pathetic one. But after all this time, she needed more. She needed to believe it. So she asked it anyway, aware of how much her voice quivered.

“You did?”

“Oh, Yang,” Blake breathed, mostly to herself. “Of course. Every day.”

Yang closed her eyes, blocking yet more tears and reassuring herself. _Blake wouldn’t lie to me. Not about this_. “So…what happens now?” She held up a quick hand. “I don’t mean with Menagerie, or Ruby and Weiss, who will really want to see you, just…with us. Now that you know.” She shook her head. That sounded too dire. “Look, I’m not expecting anything. From you, I mean. Nothing has to change. It’s not like it’s new, I’ve known how I felt about you for a while, I just didn’t want to put it on you, because…” She trailed off. Blake forlornly finished her thought.

“You didn’t want to push me away.” She bit her lip. “Dust, Yang, I’m such an idiot.” When Yang didn’t refute her, she pushed on. “I just don’t understand. After everything I’ve done…how do you not hate me?”

Yang didn’t have to think before responding. “Because the only reason you’re not a good person is that you haven’t learned how to _be_ a person yet. Because look at your life, Blake. Yeah, you made some mistakes, but you had the deck stacked against you. So you’ve done things that’ve hurt people. Hurt me. You were never _trying_ to, all you’ve ever wanted and worked towards was to be someone who did the right thing. I can’t blame you for not knowing what that is. It’s not like I always do.” She had no clue if that would be reassuring. She did know that it was generally considered poor form to call the object of your romantic affections a bad person. But like hell they’d get this far and then she’d start bullshitting about how she felt.

But Blake didn’t even seem to notice. She just asked, almost desperately, “How can you know what the right thing is? I’ve always thought I was doing the right thing. And it’s always taken me a push to realize I was wrong. Adam on the train. Learning about Weiss’ life. You, now. You say you don’t always know, but damn it, Yang, it _feels_ like you do!”

Yang just shrugged. A simple gesture, but one that she felt conveyed what it needed to. “Trust your gut. Trust yourself. And if you ever think you can’t trust yourself, maybe trust that, too.”

Blake gave her one of the trademark stares she’d missed so much. Her heart fluttered just to see the faint mix of irritation and disapproval. _Dust, I’ve got it bad._

“Yang,” she said pointedly, “that makes no fucking sense.”

She would swear to her dying breath that she hadn’t meant to. That she moved before she knew it, that she had every intention to talk, really talk, about this before anything else. It was all so soon, so raw, Blake was dealing with so much, and it’s not like she wasn’t, too. But whatever vestiges of self-control remained within in her slipped away without her even realizing it. Maybe it was the look. Maybe it was the fact that Blake didn’t often swear. Maybe it was just the sheer comfort, almost normalcy, of the moment.

She moved her metal hand behind Blake’s neck, the other hand finding her partner’s waist, and she pressed their mouths together.

There was stiffness; a sudden shock. Then Blake was melting into her, putting a hand on her cheek, pulling her close. The kiss was deep, lingering long after they broke away, their foreheads pressed together, breathing deep, suddenly desperate for air. Yang spoke first.

“I’m sorry, Blake. Fuck, I’m sorry.”

The faunus just shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. “No, dust no, don’t be, it’s not that, it’s just…Yang, I never knew, I never thought about this, I’ve never really been interested in anyone before, especially not another girl, I have no idea what it’s supposed to feel like or how I feel about it and I just don’t want to hurt you again –”

Those were all excellent points. But Yang didn’t care. She cupped Blake’s chin, moving her gently to meet her eyes. Her voice was fast, but clear, alive with a desperately honest fervor. “I don’t know. I don’t know if you’ll hurt me or if I’m pushing too hard or really even what just happened but right now, just for right now, all I want is this. This is what feels right to me, Blake. But no matter what it is, I just want whatever feels right for you. That’s all I care about, fuck whatever happens later, fuck consequences. Hold nothing back. Does this feel right for you?”

Blake looked at her. Yang felt herself being analyzed, a peculiar mix of raw emotion and an almost detached evaluation mixed within Blake’s golden eyes. And finally, slowly, her partner spoke.

“No.” Blake shrugged off her white coat, and lifted her tank top over her head. Yang’s heart nearly stopped as Blake leaned forward, pushing off her own coat and whispering in her ear. “This does.”

\--------------------------

The faunus moved in her sleep, Yang running a gentle hand over the curve of her back. Her skin practically glowed in the moonlight pooling in from the window. Yang’s other hand was beneath her head as she lay on her side, stroking her partner almost mindlessly. She silently cursed herself as Blake stirred, rolling over to face her as her eyes fluttered open. Yang knew she’d have an amazing view if she just looked down, but her eyes couldn’t leave Blake’s face.

“Yang? What is it?” When she didn’t answer, Blake shook herself awake, more insistent as she spoke. “Yang, tell me…it isn’t…you don’t wish we hadn’t…”

Whatever else, Yang couldn’t let her think that. She gripped Blake’s shoulder, kissing her hard, her hand snaking its way down her back and pulling her close. “ _No_. Never.”

“Then what?”

Yang bit her lip. Might as well. "I shouldn't have said that."

"Said what?"

"That you weren't important."

Blake was clearly startled by the abrupt change of mood, but she recovered quickly. "Yang, yes, you should have. If I didn't...if you hadn't made me realize that I was taking on some kind of, of cosmic responsibility –” She shook her head, rephrasing. “If you hadn’t shown me that the person I really mattered to was right here..."

Yang sat up, shaking her head, the relaxation ebbing from her face as she searched for words. "No, that's my point, Blake...you aren't...you aren't defined by how I feel about you, the idea that if you weren't important to me then you wouldn't be important to anyone –"

Blake sat up, took Yang's chin in her hand and brought their lips gently together. The kiss was firm. Secure. When at last it broke, the faunus spoke gently, but her tone brooked no argument. "That's not what you meant. I know it isn't. And so do you. Yang, after everything I've put you through, after all the shit you kept trying to stop me from drowning in...even if it wasn’t justified, and it really was, I couldn’t be upset at poor phrasing. You feel everything, Yang, so strongly. Of course things won't always come out right. At least you actually say them." Their eyes met, violet and gold. Yang’s gaze was the first to fall, and she sighed.

“I wish I’d said them sooner. It’s just important to me that you know you matter. Not just to me, to a lot of people. To yourself.”

Blake’s mouth quirked up in a small smile. “I won’t say I’ll never worry about it…but when I do, you’ll be here to remind me?”

Yang paused. _Deep breaths. Make sure_. “Blake, I’m always here for you. But when you ask me that – if you mean it like I think you do – are you sure?”

Blake’s chest pressed to her own, noses touching, arms entwined around each other as Blake made herself comfortable against her.

“Yes. This isn’t fast for you – you’ve said you’ve known how you felt about me for a long time. And I’ve never – this wasn’t something I’d ever done before. But I did it because I wanted to. Because even though I just found out, just started realizing, it didn’t feel fast to me, either. I don’t know what comes next,” she said honestly, “but of all the mistakes I’ve ever made, none feel as wrong as leaving you. I want to learn from that mistake. Just be patient with me?”

Yang looked up and down at their naked bodies. Blake snorted and gave her a small shove with her cheek. “Not like that, I mean…you said before I didn’t know how to be a person. I probably won’t be great at it at first.”

Yang smiled, hoping Blake could feel the genuine care she put into choosing each word. “Blake, you may not know how yet, but I would’ve waited a lot longer than this for you to learn. I’m just grateful that I get the chance to help.”

Blake opened her mouth to respond, but a beeping from Yang’s scroll distracted them both. Yang shook her head as she read the message. “Don’t worry, it’s just Ruby and Weiss. Shockingly, I didn’t stop to tell them that things were okay.” Blake squeezed her tight.

“They are?”

“A lot more than okay,” Yang murmured. There was still pain. There would still be issues. There were still a lot of things to talk about. But for the first time since the Fall, she felt centered. Calm. Like things were the way they should be. Blake shook her from her thoughts.

“Wait, it’s after two in the morning. Why are they just messaging you now?”

Yang half-laughed, half-groaned. “Because they were probably doing the exact same thing we were doing.”

“Wait.” Blake shot up. “No!”

“Yuuup.”

_“Weiss and Ruby?”_

“Yuuup.”

“Since when?”

“Since Mistral! Sorry, it didn’t really come up before!”

Blake lay down again, her head on Yang’s chest. “Dust…I’ve missed so much.”

Yang gave her a squeeze. “It’s missed you, too.” They lay together for a moment, Blake hugging Yang tight as the blonde’s arms surrounded her. Yang felt Blake’s brow furrow, her ears brushing against Yang’s bare skin.

“Aren’t you going to text back?”

Yang grinned, and suddenly she rolled on top of Blake, pinning the girl’s arms next to her head, straddling her with a knee between her thighs.

“Nah,” she whispered, leaning in to kiss the girl she’d finally found again. “Let ‘em wait a little longer. I’m done waiting.”


End file.
